Man Who Did Voice Of ‘Charlie Brown’ Pleads Not Guilty To Stalking, Threat Charges

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

City News Service

Oceanside resident Peter Robbins -- the voice of Charlie Brown in several Peanuts films and television specials -- pleaded not guilty today to charges that he threatened his girlfriend and the doctor who performed her breast enhancement surgery.

The defendant -- who's being held in lieu of $550,000 bail -- faces up to nine years in prison if convicted of two counts of stalking and 10 counts of making criminal threats, said Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth McClutchey.

Robbins, 56, was taken into custody Sunday night, coming back into the United States from Mexico, after authorities learned of a warrant for his arrest.

McClutchey urged Judge David Szumowski to keep bail set at $550,000 because it was the alleged victims' perception that Robbins was a "desperate man'' and "had nothing to lose.''

The prosecutor also said Robbins had purchased a gun but had not yet received it, and had practiced firing a gun at a shooting range.

On Dec. 31, McClutchey alleged that Robbins threatened Dr. Lori Saltz, who had performed breast enhancement surgery on his girlfriend, Shawna Kern.

According to a declaration in support of the arrest warrant, Saltz told authorities that Robbins had paid for the surgery and follow-up appointments.

Kern, of Los Angeles, told authorities she was staying at a hotel in Carlsbad when she was involved in a domestic violence incident with Robbins, in which he allegedly grabbed her by the neck and demanded that she go with him to get back the money he paid for her breast enhancement surgery.

Kern said her relationship with Robbins ended after that, and he began calling Saltz's office demanding his money back, according to the court document.

McClutchey said Saltz stayed at a hotel because she was fearful of Robbins, and also hired an armed guard for her business.

The prosecutor alleged that Robbins left several threatening phone messages for Kern, saying in one, "You better hide Shawna, I'm coming for you.

I'm going to find you in Sun Valley or wherever the (expletive) you live and I'm going to kill you.''

In an uncharged incident, Robbins allegedly threatened to kill a police sergeant who arrested him on Jan. 13, McClutchey said.

Robbins was released on bond the next day and was given a Jan. 28 court date, which was pending when he was arrested Sunday at the border.

Defense attorney Marc Kohnen said Robbins' bail was excessive because his client had no criminal record and had never been in trouble with the law before.

"Mr. Robbins is an eccentric individual but he's not a threat,'' the defense attorney said.

Robbins was 9 years old when he began doing the voice of Charlie Brown for such films and television specials as "A Boy Named Charlie Brown,'' "A Charlie Brown Christmas'' and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.''

A bail review was set for Jan. 28, a readiness conference for Feb. 22 and a preliminary hearing for March 22.

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